Quarian (Mass Effect Supplement)

Quarian

Physical Description

[Source]

Quarians are superficially similar to humans in terms of facial structure, body composition, sexual dimorphism, hair, and height, though they are notably smaller. However, beyond the head and torso, quarians are much more similar to turians, having bowed legs, three thick fingers on each hand, two similarly shaped toes on each foot, and a dextro-amino composition.

The most distinctive quarian trait is their advanced enviro-suits. Due to evolving in an environment with little disease before spending hundreds of years in a sterile environment, quarians have an almost non-existent immune system, causing what would be a negligible infection in one species to be lethal to a quarian. In conjunction with this, being a dextro-amino species like the turians, and having a reduced capacity to consume meat due to the low cost-to-calorie ratio of keeping livestock within the Migrant Fleet, quarians have to be very careful with what they eat.

History

Despite lacking the advantaged upbringing of the asari or accelerated intelligence of the salarians, quarian history is marked by massively accelerated technological advancement, being among the races to be welcomed to the Citadel between 500 BCE and 1 CE. By the late 19th century CE, the quarians had created the geth, though at the time their intelligence was limited to that of any other VI, being used as laborers and soldiers. As network programming was integrated to allow them to complete more complex tasks, so too did they become more aware. It wasn't until reports of a geth questioning the nature of its existence began to spread that they realized their "mistake", though this was not the first time a geth had done so.

In hopes of preventing a revolution, the quarian government panickedly ordered the destruction of all geth. While many quarians resisted, force was used to circumvent personal decision by the majority. The resistors were forgotten by the quarians, but remembered greatly by the geth. Underestimating their enemy, all planetside quarians were either pushed offworld or killed. Having breached multiple laws on the creation of artificial intelligence, the newly-established Migrant Fleet was refused Citadel aid and stripped of their embassy status. Today, the fleet drifts between systems looking for any resources that can bolster or upgrade their fleet's ships, with many being centuries old with state-of-the-art enhancements.

Society

All quarian laws prioritize the survival of the Migrant Fleet. It is illegal for couples to have more than one child, so that the fleet can maintain zero population growth (if the population begins to shrink, this rule is temporarily lifted, and incentives may be provided to encourage multiple births). Families are thus very small and close-knit. Homosexual relationships are not unheard of, however. Even the ancient quarians on Rannoch were incredibly empathetic, prioritizing loyalty, trust, and cooperation. Repeated exposure has made most modern quarians comfortable with cramped conditions, though this has come with an intense phobia of leaving one's enviro-suit, with linking suit environments being seen as the ultimate gesture of trust and affection, and removing one's suit only being done as a "final step" with extreme precautions in the presence of one's love interest.

The Migrant Fleet does not have an economy. Instead, unneeded and unused items are left in public spaces for another quarian to take freely, while food and medicine is rationed out carefully. Beyond the Migrant Fleet, other species tend to look down on the quarians for several reasons, the foremost of which being their supposed "unleashing" of the geth upon the galaxy, along with often being viewed as beggars and thieves.

There are roughly 17 million quarians on the Migrant Fleet. It is technically still under martial law but is now governed by bodies such as the Admiralty Board and the democratically-elected Conclave, though ship captains and onboard civilian councils tend to address most issues "in-house" before it gets that far. Quarians are divided into several clans that can be spread across several ships, or be restricted to one.

When a quarian reaches adulthood, they embark on their Pilgrimage, where they journey throughout the galaxy in search of something to benefit the Migrant Fleet. For a typical quarian, this may simply be a supply of food or fuel, while a more respected quarian, such as the child of an admiral, may be expected to return with a new ship or a piece of advanced technology. Upon returning from their Pilgrimage, a quarian presents their gift to an admiral of their choosing, which can not be their original admiral, and joins their part of the fleet. While most quarians return, some never do, though this isn't always because something terrible happened to them.

Quarian Names

Quarian names are composed of three parts: the quarian's given name and family name separated by an apostrophe, and the name of their vessel preceeded by a title - "nar" to denote their birth ship and "vas" to denote their post-pilgrimage ship. For example, Lia'Vael nar Ulnay would be a pre-pilgrimage quarian from the Ulnay, while Han'Geral vas Neema would be a post-pilgrimage quarian from the Neema.

Male Names: Golo, Han, Hilo, Kal, Kar, Keenah, Kenn, Lemm, Les, Prazza, Rael, Seeto, Shio, Veetor, Ysin, Zaal, Zer

Female Names: Ceni, Daro, Elan, Feda, Jura, Laele, Lia, Meeri, Minn, Reen, Saesa, Shala, Shuni, Tali, Yosi, Zohe,

Family Names: Breizah, Dannah, Gazu, Gerral, Hodda, Jaa, Koris, Leth, Mal, Mekk, Nara, Raan, Reegar, Shaal, Shiya, Vael, Xen, Zorah

Vessel Names: Honorata, Idenna, Moreh, Neema, Novarra, Qwib Qwib, Rayya, Tesleya, Tonbay, Ulnay, Usela

Quarian Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. Quarians reach adulthood in their late teens and live between 125 and 150 years.
Alignment. Quarians are incredibly loyal to the flotilla, causing most to be Lawful.
Size. Quarians are comparable to humans, asari, and drell. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Technologically-Dependant. You gain two tech powers of your choice. Intelligence is your casting modifier for these powers.
Natural Genius. At the end of character creation, choose one skill that you are proficient in. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses the chosen skill.
Hermetic Suit. You gain a number of armor points equal to twice your proficiency bonus. These armor points are regained at the end of a long rest. If you have 0 armor points, you take 2d4 poison damage at the end of each of your turns.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Quarian.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
4′ 5''	+2d10	100 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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